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The recent visit to SE Asia of President Obama indicated a major shift in US policy towards to defense of its interests in the region. The fact that Obama has failed to visit Singapore on this last two visits to SE Asia shows that Singapore is not no longer the lynchpin of the US defence in SE Asia.
For many years now, S’pore has been the major US military hub in the area. It hosts US Navy aircraft carriers at Changi Naval Base, one of very few ports in Asia that can do so. As well, Paya Lebar airbase is at the centre of the aircraft maintenance and depot overhauling for aircraft and engines of the US Navy and Air Force in the region. All branches of the US military and even quasi civilian agencies like the US Coast Guard, and of course, the US Military and civilian intelligence services are all here. Thousands of US personnel are either posted to Singapore or visit the country on shore leave and other forms of liberties. The PAP has at considerable expenses (hundreds of millions of $) renovated and upgraded Changi Naval Base for the US Navy as well as make other facilities available to other branches of the US military. All these expenses paid by the PAP through the taxpayer is now about to go to waste.
This last trip by Obama is particularly telling. He avoided Singapore, but visited Malaysia and the Philippines. While in Manila, he made the shock announcement that the 2 countries have come to an agreement to base unlimited numbers of US military personnel at the former US military bases of Subic Bay naval base and Clark air force base. These 2 bases are much larger than anything Singapore can offer and in the case of Clark, there is also a weapons firing range included. In addition, the Philippines has offered the US the use of a naval base on Palawan island, which is much closer to China and the disputed Spratley Islands. In terms of facilities and geography, Singapore is no match for the Philippines.
What happened to those assurances by the US and Obama? I am sure the PAP did not build the facilities for them just because Obama asked nicely. I am sure that the PAP did not buy all those US F-16s and F-15s without expecting some form of a US security blanket. There has to be some tangible benefits for Singapore. And that benefit was a close shelter under the US security umbrella. By having a large US military presence in the country, Singapore could be assured that any aggressor would also have to deal with any in country US military forces. Now, this umbrella has been moved to another country. Imagine the most impoverished country in SE Asia, with the smallest military force, and the smallest budget (USD$3 billion versus Singapore’s $10 billion) now has a powerful uncle and the most formidable military, living in its own house. At one stroke, they have managed to provide a force to be reckon with in their disputes with China and Vietnam, even though the force is not theirs. And they have been able to do it at no charge to themselves. And we have not even counted the economic benefits of the billions of $ that the US military will spend in the Philippines through buying supplies from local companies, upgrading their bases using local contractors and materials, and employing civilians to work in their bases.
The PAP was so alarmed by this new defence pact between the US and the Philippines that Minister Shanmugam was dispatched to Washington DC after the Obama visit to find out what was going on. He met with Secretary of State John Kerry and was given the usual lip service and platitudes about how close and long standing US and Singapore relationships were. But the fact remains that the US has found a new dance partner and Singapore has lost out. After prostituting Singapore to the US, the PAP has now found out that the Philippines (that nation of whores) is willing to open its legs wider for them. The focus of the US military will now be on moving its assets out of Singapore to the Philippines. Not all, but enough to weaken its presence here. Once again, the naivete of the PAP is revealed, and once again Singaporeans have been played out. This is why Transparency International rates Singapore’s defence spending at a D. If we ever found out how much we spend to have the US military here, and than just to see them up and leave, it would have been a huge scandal.
For many years now, S’pore has been the major US military hub in the area. It hosts US Navy aircraft carriers at Changi Naval Base, one of very few ports in Asia that can do so. As well, Paya Lebar airbase is at the centre of the aircraft maintenance and depot overhauling for aircraft and engines of the US Navy and Air Force in the region. All branches of the US military and even quasi civilian agencies like the US Coast Guard, and of course, the US Military and civilian intelligence services are all here. Thousands of US personnel are either posted to Singapore or visit the country on shore leave and other forms of liberties. The PAP has at considerable expenses (hundreds of millions of $) renovated and upgraded Changi Naval Base for the US Navy as well as make other facilities available to other branches of the US military. All these expenses paid by the PAP through the taxpayer is now about to go to waste.
This last trip by Obama is particularly telling. He avoided Singapore, but visited Malaysia and the Philippines. While in Manila, he made the shock announcement that the 2 countries have come to an agreement to base unlimited numbers of US military personnel at the former US military bases of Subic Bay naval base and Clark air force base. These 2 bases are much larger than anything Singapore can offer and in the case of Clark, there is also a weapons firing range included. In addition, the Philippines has offered the US the use of a naval base on Palawan island, which is much closer to China and the disputed Spratley Islands. In terms of facilities and geography, Singapore is no match for the Philippines.
What happened to those assurances by the US and Obama? I am sure the PAP did not build the facilities for them just because Obama asked nicely. I am sure that the PAP did not buy all those US F-16s and F-15s without expecting some form of a US security blanket. There has to be some tangible benefits for Singapore. And that benefit was a close shelter under the US security umbrella. By having a large US military presence in the country, Singapore could be assured that any aggressor would also have to deal with any in country US military forces. Now, this umbrella has been moved to another country. Imagine the most impoverished country in SE Asia, with the smallest military force, and the smallest budget (USD$3 billion versus Singapore’s $10 billion) now has a powerful uncle and the most formidable military, living in its own house. At one stroke, they have managed to provide a force to be reckon with in their disputes with China and Vietnam, even though the force is not theirs. And they have been able to do it at no charge to themselves. And we have not even counted the economic benefits of the billions of $ that the US military will spend in the Philippines through buying supplies from local companies, upgrading their bases using local contractors and materials, and employing civilians to work in their bases.
The PAP was so alarmed by this new defence pact between the US and the Philippines that Minister Shanmugam was dispatched to Washington DC after the Obama visit to find out what was going on. He met with Secretary of State John Kerry and was given the usual lip service and platitudes about how close and long standing US and Singapore relationships were. But the fact remains that the US has found a new dance partner and Singapore has lost out. After prostituting Singapore to the US, the PAP has now found out that the Philippines (that nation of whores) is willing to open its legs wider for them. The focus of the US military will now be on moving its assets out of Singapore to the Philippines. Not all, but enough to weaken its presence here. Once again, the naivete of the PAP is revealed, and once again Singaporeans have been played out. This is why Transparency International rates Singapore’s defence spending at a D. If we ever found out how much we spend to have the US military here, and than just to see them up and leave, it would have been a huge scandal.
